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The swiftlet or the swiftlet family (scientific name: Apodidae) is a family of birds with a very similar appearance to the swallows (family Hirundinidae) but in fact they are not closely related to these sparrows. The swiftlets form part of the order Apodiformes, along with families such as the Hummingbirds (Trochilidae) and the Crested Nests (Hemiprocnidae). The crested swiftlets are the closest relatives to these swiftlets.
The similarity between swallows and swallows is due to convergent evolution, reflecting a similar lifestyle based on capturing insects for food while in flight.
The scientific name of this family is derived from the Ancient Greek word απους, apous, meaning “legless”, because the swifts have very short legs and never perch on the ground but only cling to surfaces. straight. The tradition of depicting swiftlets without legs continued well into the Middle Ages, as seen in the form of the martlet.
Swallows are the most abundant birds in the air and some, like the common swift, even sleep and mate in flight. Large species, such as the white-throated pointed-tailed swift (Hirundapus caudacutus), are among the fastest in the animal kingdom. One group, the burrowing birds (tribe Collocalini) have developed a form of echolocation to detect flight paths in the dark cave systems where they roost. One species, Aerodramus papuensis, was recently discovered to use this type of locomotion at night outside the cave where it roosts. Swallows are widely distributed throughout the world in tropical and temperate regions, but like swallows, temperate swiftlets are migratory birds, and in winter they migrate to the tropics.
Many species of swiftlets have a characteristic shape, with a short and forked tail, and long wings that fall back, similar to a crescent moon or boomerang. The flight pattern of some species, characterized by a distinctive “flash” action, is very different from that of swallows. The size of swiftlets ranges from as small as that of dwarf swiftlets (Collocalia troglodytes), weighing only 5.4 g and 9 cm (3.7 inches) long, to purple pointed-tailed swiftlets (Hirundapus celebensis), weighing 184 g. 6.5 oz) and 25 cm (10 inches) long.
Nests of many species are adhered to steep surfaces with saliva, and species of the genus Aerodramus use only saliva for nesting, and this is the basis of bird’s nests.